How To Be A Great Visitor

[4min Read]

I'm bout to teach you somethin' real good

Maybe you've been invited to stay over at someone's house. Maybe you desperately need a place to crash. Either way, these tips we're about to unleash on your innocent mind are just like Muhammad Ali.

THEY'RE THE GREATEST.
Now lets's begin the cooking of the sauce. First Things First.

1. Bring your own stuff.

Maybe not always like this kind of load though...

Try to have sense and carry everything you think you'll need to use while you're there. Your soap. Your towel. Your toothbrush. Your brain. While it is forgivable that you may have forgotten one or two things while packing, it's ridiculous to actively plan to make your host provide everything for you as if they're a pro-bono supermarket.

2. Put your host first.

You gave me silver spoons instead of gold?! I can't use this!!

While normally, your host will be straining to put YOU first, for the (hopefully) short time you'll be staying with them, you need to remember that it's THEIR house/place, and not yours. It would be greatly unfair of you to discomfort your host because of your needs or wants. Learn to manage more. It doesn't mean you should accept faeces from your host. Just put into moderation the time, energy, plans and resources of your host before you ask.


3. Accommodate according to your host.

Michael, where are you?... We haven't done our 5 hours gist today.

Now, there are different kinds of people all over the world. It would be best to know what kind of host is letting you stay over. Some people like the "Be seen, not heard" kind of visitors. Some people like the "Make your presence in my life known" kind of visitors. Either way, your presence should not bother the host so much that he/she regrets you coming there.


4. Help out.

You mean I should do more than just enjoy my life to pieces?

I know you were probably planning to  rest and laze around all while you're there, but please resist the temptation. If you weren't trained better than that, then please start now and train yourself on it. Wake up in the morning if you can and join the chores, or look for something to clean, arrange or organize. If you really want to, you can ask your host for something to help out with (most hosts will ask you to relax and not worry yourself).

Some people will talk about their age and status, saying they shouldn't need to do such things. And that's one of the problems we have in our society - believing that at a point in age/status/relationship, you are now above doing good things and being a good human being.


5. Be respectful and considerate.

Hi. I'm your brain. Use me. Please. Haha... No, seriously though.

Ask questions before you make changes to places or things. Especially drastic ones. And please understand some things are really out of place - don't hire a painter to repaint a room green because you don't like the red room they have you. Or don't bring over a girl/friend into the house without running it by your host to make sure it's okay.

Also make sure to kindly request for things, and not demand. Don't take it as they owe you anything, and try to be as moderate as you can.


6. Be clean.

"Cleanliness is next to...."?

Please clean up after yourself. Your food plates. Your trash. Your clothes. Your bed. Yourself. Don't leave things lying around on the floor or table, even if they have a helper or dedicated staff to take care of those things. It only speaks well of you if you're seen to take good care of yourself and your environment. Arrange things after use. Put them in proper places. Do not scatter, but if you do - then please always rearrange.


7. Give information on your plans/whereabouts.

Look at all those supermarkets I'm going to window-shop in.

Tell your host when you're leaving or planning to come back, especially due to security concerns, and so your host can know how to accommodate their own plans and resources - such as giving you a key to the house/gate.


8. Handle things with care.

Don't be like this guy. Don't blow stuff up. Please.

It can be pretty easy to lose yourself in the moment and play around with something breakable or perishable with carelessness. Like that glass bathroom door, or the pay-as-you browse internet subscription,



9. Leave it better than you found it.

Whether it's a room, or just a whole flat, or a garage. Either clean it up to look nice, or buy something small to add to the place. If you are especially close to the host and they have family, you may buy something for them e.g. Something for the children, or buy an accessory for the house e.g. a clock or decoration - as thanks. This may not be suitable in all situations, and you should avoid keeping strange looking things that may give the wrong message about your intentions e.g. Giving an iron masquerade mask to a very superstitious family.


10. Don't put yourself in a place of suffering.

HeEEeeeLlllLPPpp   mMeeeEE!

Let's be honest here. As much as we're teaching how to be great visitors, not all hosts are good ones, talk of great ones. Sometimes you must learn to provide things for yourself. Don't sit there, micromanage and suffer like you're an abandoned wartime orphan. If your host is unable to provide certain necessities then be ready to go out and search for them yourself. This can vary from simple toiletries, to food, or even entertainment.

-------------
Like all lists, this one runs the danger of possibly being incomplete or even heavily opinionated (bringing bias). So send in your variables, your corrections your additions, and your money.

We'll take it all.
Yes. All of it.


Thanks for coming.
Love. Stars. And A Visiting Jamie.


-------------------------
Did you like this article? You'll definitely like others like...
1. The Surprise Test!
2. 10 Important Things For The Final Year Student

3. 10 people with "Dem Dey Rush Us" status